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Pacific Rugby Players Welfare raised £30,629.78 from 639 supporters

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Closed 14/03/2018

0%
£30,629
raised of £35,000 target by 639 supporters

    Iʼve raised £30,629 to help fund multiple residency status applications and cost of living for Sione Vaiomounga and his family.

    Funded on Wednesday, 14th March 2018

    Don't have time to donate right now?

    Story

    Sione Vaiomounga is a former Tongan international rugby player who played in the 2011 World Cup.

    He signed his first professional contract with Baia Mare in Romania in 2014 hoping it would be the first step to a successful career in Europe.

    His first season went well but the night before a semi-final match blood started pouring out of his nose and wouldn’t stop. It turned out he had suffered kidney failure and he ended up in hospital for the next three months.

    That was also the end of his rugby career.

    Three years on and he is still in Baia Mare. Hospitals back in Tonga don’t have the dialysis machines he needs to survive so he can’t go home but in three months’ time his visa will expire and he faces deportation along with his wife Sala and their two children – Jesyda (3) and Sione Junior (10 months).

    Since his rugby contract ended he has struggled to find a job as he is on dialysis three nights a week between 9pm and 2am which leaves him too tired to do anything the next day.

    His wife cannot get a job due to the terms of her visa so they are totally dependent on support from family back home and local friends in Romania to survive.

    Their dream is to get a visa to either New Zealand or the USA – where they have family – but the process is complicated and expensive. More likely, they will apply for new visas to remain in Romania.

    In Sione's words: "As long as we are together we are happy. "

    We are hoping to raise funds that will help Sione and his family live day to day plus cover expenses related to all of the residency status applications they have to make.

    You can donate via this page and check for updates on their progress.

    Thanks for reading and for your support.

    Updates

    4

    • Pacific Rugby Players Welfare7 years ago
      Pacific Rugby Players Welfare

      Pacific Rugby Players Welfare

      7 years ago

      Share this update to help us raise more

    • Pacific Rugby Players Welfare7 years ago
      Pacific Rugby Players Welfare

      Pacific Rugby Players Welfare

      7 years ago

      It’s been great to meet up with Sione and Sala today in Baia Mare, Romania and talk through their options which are only possible due to the generosity of everyone who donated through this page! The positivity of this family, in spite of their circumstances is simply inspirational.

      Update from the Page owner

      Share this update to help us raise more

    • Pacific Rugby Players Welfare7 years ago
      Pacific Rugby Players Welfare

      Pacific Rugby Players Welfare

      7 years ago

      With over £26K raised, Sione and family say Thank You and Merry Christmas!

      Share this update to help us raise more

    7 years ago

    Pacific Rugby Players Welfare started crowdfunding

    Leave a message of support

    Page last updated on: 3/7/2018 06.17

    Supporters

    639

    • From Integrity Sports Management

      From Integrity Sports Management

      Mar 7, 2018

      Wishing you and your family well. All the best from us.

      £200.00

    • Errol Campbell

      Errol Campbell

      Mar 6, 2018

      Keep on looking after your rugby brothers.

      £10.00

    • David Ngatai

      David Ngatai

      Mar 5, 2018

      Be strong brother, I have a lot respect for you and your family.

      £50.00

    • Gethin Edwards

      Gethin Edwards

      Mar 4, 2018

      Best wishes.

      £10.00

    • Anonymous

      Anonymous

      Mar 3, 2018

      God bless you, Sione and Sala!

    • Simon Cowan

      Simon Cowan

      Mar 2, 2018

      Best of luck - great to see the rugby community coming together to help.

      £30.00

    • Sidney Ahokava

      Sidney Ahokava

      Feb 26, 2018

      £50.00

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    About the fundraiser
    Pacific Rugby Players Welfare

    Pacific Rugby Players Welfare

    Pacific Rugby Players Welfare is an independent not-for-profit organisation that supports professional and semi-professional players of Pacific Island heritage in the UK and Europe – enabling their ongoing success both on and off the field.

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